Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee Faces More Abuse Lawsuits
A pair of new lawsuits, including one that includes civil RICO claims, come at a time when the SBC Executive Committee faces a fiscal and leadership crisis.
Latest Candidate to Head Southern Baptists’ Executive Committee Withdraws
The Executive Committee, which oversees the SBC's operations between meetings of the convention's governing body, has been without a permanent leader since 2021.
A Southern Baptist Leader Hid Decades of Abuse. Will His Fall Doom SBC Abuse Reforms?
Revelations about the decadeslong abuse by a prominent SBC leader have led to fears that the denomination's sex-abuse reforms are doomed to fail.
The SBC Will Sell Insurance, Retirement to Women Pastors — If They Aren’t Southern Baptists
In 2004, Southern Baptists voted to allow their insurance and retirement agency to work with other churches. The latest denomination to sign up is the Global Methodist Church, made up of former United Methodists.
Southern Baptists Settle Abuse Lawsuit Against Legendary Conservative Leader Paul Pressler
The nation’s largest Protestant denomination has settled a sexual abuse lawsuit against one of its prominent leaders who had been accused of allegedly molesting young men for decades.
Chaos Erupts Over SBC Legal Filing in Louisville Abuse Lawsuit
A friend-of-the-court filing has led to questions of whether the Southern Baptist Convention has changed its ways in dealing with abuse.
Christian Nationalism in the Speaker’s Chair
This issue of A Public Witness introduces you to the 56th speaker of the House — the founding dean of a failed Baptist law school, an attorney for three firms devoted to advancing Christian Nationalism, a crusader for prayer in public schools, an evangelist proclaiming
Southern Baptists Expel Oklahoma Church After Pastor Defends His Blackface and Native Caricatures
The conservative denomination has in recent years expelled churches for various reasons — most prominently Saddleback Church for having women pastors.
Is a Pastor’s Sin a Private Matter? Johnny Hunt Lawsuit Makes That Claim.
The former SBC president and longtime megachurch pastor covered up his sexual misconduct for a decade. Now he's suing SBC leaders for revealing his sins.
SBC Leader Willie McLaurin Resigns After Admitting He Falsified Resume
McLaurin is the third Executive Committee leader to resign in controversy since 2018.